At least six suicide bombers blew themselves up in Baghdad and northern Iraq on Friday, killing 10 people and wounding about 60 in attacks targeting Iraqi and US forces, security officials said.
Al-Qaeda claimed on Thursday it had shot down a US attack helicopter in western Iraq that killed two marines, as a radical Shia Muslim preacher called on his countrymen to unite to "get rid of" Sunni extremists.
President George W. Bush will make a televised speech on his plans for future US troop levels in Iraq at 9pm on Thursday, the White House announced on Tuesday.
Turkish jets bombed northern Iraq on Sunday in the latest of a string of attacks on Kurdish rebels there, but caused no damage or casualties, an Iraqi Kurdish security spokesperson said.